Mobile wireless communications device including a ground patch providing specific absorption rate (SAR) reduction and related methods

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a dielectric substrate carried by the portable housing having a front side facing toward a user and a back side opposite the front side, and a ground plane carried by the dielectric substrate. The device may further include at least one circuit carried by the dielectric substrate, and an antenna carried by the dielectric substrate adjacent an end thereof and electrically connected to the at least one circuit. A ground patch may be adjacent the front side of the dielectric substrate that is electrically connected to the ground plane and spaced apart from and at least partially overlapping the antenna.

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
 a portable housing; 
 a dielectric substrate carried by said portable housing having a front side facing toward a user and a back side opposite the front side; 
 a ground plane carried by said dielectric substrate; 
 at least one circuit carried by said dielectric substrate; 
 an antenna carried by said dielectric substrate adjacent an end thereof and electrically connected to said at least one circuit; and 
 a ground patch adjacent the front side of said dielectric substrate being electrically connected to said ground plane and being spaced apart from and at least partially overlapping said antenna so that said antenna lies between the back side of said dielectric substrate and said ground patch. 
 
   
   
     2. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said ground plane is on the back side of said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     3. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said ground patch is carried by said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     4. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said ground patch only partially overlaps said antenna. 
   
   
     5. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said ground patch is carried by said portable housing. 
   
   
     6. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said ground patch is connected to said ground plane at a plurality of spaced apart contact points. 
   
   
     7. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said dielectric substrate has a lower end and an upper end, and wherein said antenna is carried adjacent the lower end of said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     8. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  wherein said at least one circuit comprises a wireless transceiver. 
   
   
     9. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 8  wherein said wireless transceiver comprises a cellular transceiver. 
   
   
     10. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one of a display and a keypad carried by said dielectric substrate on the front surface thereof. 
   
   
     11. A method for reducing a specific absorption rate (SAR) of a mobile wireless communications device comprising a portable housing, a dielectric substrate carried by the portable housing having a front side facing toward a user and a back side opposite the front side, a ground plane carried by the dielectric substrate, at least one circuit carried by the dielectric substrate, and an antenna carried by the dielectric substrate adjacent an end thereof and electrically connected to the at least one circuit, the method comprising:
 positioning a ground patch adjacent the front side of the dielectric substrate spaced apart from and at least partially overlapping the antenna so that the antenna lies between the back side of the dielectric substrate and the ground patch; and 
 electrically connecting the ground patch to the ground plane. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the ground plane is on the back side of the dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 11  wherein positioning the ground patch comprises mounting the ground patch on the dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 11  wherein the ground patch only partially overlaps the antenna. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 11  wherein positioning the ground patch comprises mounting the ground patch on the portable housing. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 11  wherein electrically connecting the ground patch to the ground plane comprises electrically connecting the ground patch to the ground plane at a plurality of spaced apart contact points. 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 11  wherein the dielectric substrate has a lower end and an upper end, and wherein the antenna is carried adjacent the lower end of the dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     18. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
 a portable housing; 
 a dielectric substrate carried by said portable housing having a front side facing toward a user and a back side opposite the front side; 
 a ground plane carried by said dielectric substrate; 
 at least one circuit carried by said dielectric substrate; 
 an antenna carried by said dielectric substrate adjacent an end thereof and electrically connected to said at least one circuit; and 
 a ground patch adjacent the front side of and having at least a portion thereof spaced apart from said dielectric substrate, being electrically connected to said ground plane, and being spaced apart from and at least partially overlapping said antenna. 
 
   
   
     19. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 18  wherein said ground plane is on the back side of said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     20. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 18  wherein said dielectric substrate has a lower end and an upper end, and wherein said antenna is carried adjacent the lower end of said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     21. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 18  wherein said at least one circuit comprises a wireless transceiver. 
   
   
     22. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 21  wherein said wireless transceiver comprises a cellular transceiver. 
   
   
     23. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 18  further comprising at least one of a display and a keypad carried by said dielectric substrate on the front surface thereof. 
   
   
     24. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:
 a portable housing; 
 a dielectric substrate carried by said portable housing having a front side facing toward a user and a back side opposite the front side; 
 a ground plane carried by said dielectric substrate; 
 at least one circuit carried by said dielectric substrate; 
 an antenna carried by said dielectric substrate adjacent an end thereof and electrically connected to said at least one circuit; and 
 a ground patch adjacent the front side of said dielectric substrate, being electrically connected to said ground plane at a plurality of spaced apart points, and being spaced apart from and at least partially overlapping said antenna. 
 
   
   
     25. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 24  wherein said ground plane is on the back side of said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     26. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 24  wherein said dielectric substrate has a lower end and an upper end, and wherein said antenna is carried adjacent the lower end of said dielectric substrate. 
   
   
     27. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 24  wherein said at least one circuit comprises a wireless transceiver. 
   
   
     28. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 27  wherein said wireless transceiver comprises a cellular transceiver. 
   
   
     29. The mobile wireless communications device of  claim 24  further comprising at least one of a display and a keypad carried by said dielectric substrate on the front surface thereof.